April 5Milpitas Library Poetry Reading3pmThe Milpitas poetry community is truly extraordinary. I’m proud to be in their space once again to read alongside Erica Goss (Poet Laureate of Los Gatos) and Kim Johnson (spoken word sensation). The event also features two former Milpitas Poetry Slam winners, Liala Zaray and Ahsan Zahid. The event comes complete with free food and musical guest, cellist Freya Seeburger. I will also give a poetry workshop at the library at 1pm. Both the workshop and the reading will take place in the auditorium. Email Lauren Teixeira at lteixeira@sccl.org or visit the Facebook event for more info.

April 10 and 19Campbell Library Youth Poetry Workshops4:30pm (on both days)This is a series of two poetry composition courses for youth ages 13 to 17. You don’t need to have written before. If you have a piece you’d like to polish up, bring it, and I’ll give you some revision techniques. I’m flexible on the ages. Any young person interested in poetry is welcome to join. Just ask the staff at the front desk where to find the poetry workshop and they’ll let you know where we’re meeting. Email Klara Kim at KKim@sccl.org for more info.

April 17
5thAnnual San Jose Museum of Art Poetry Invitational7pm
Entrance fee: $5 (free for Museum members)
This event brings the worlds of visual art and poetry together through the practice of ekphrasis. Poets perform original works inspired by art on display at the museum. Each poet reads while standing beside his or her chosen art piece. This year, all poems relate to work in the exhibit “Initial Public Offering.” Featured poets include Kimberly Escamilla, Jennifer Swanton Brown, Jason Bayani, Claudia McIsaac, Jasper Haze, Evan Karp, Nils Peterson, Sally Ashton, and myself. You can’t miss the location. Just come in through the front door and “Initial Public Offering” is immediately to your right. Visit the Facebook Event for more info.

April 24San Jose State University’s Legacy of Poetry Day12pmEvery year, SJSU hosts this event, and this they’re holding it in honor of poets Wanda Coleman and Edwin Markham. I am proud to share the stage with Joy Harjo, Al Young and Sally Ashton and Nils Peterson. We will be reading poems from Coleman and Markham in addition to our own works. The event is held out doors at SJSU right in front of the campus entrance to the MLK library. Visit the SJSU Legacy of Poetry page for more info.

April 24 and 26Gilroy Library Poetry Workshops5pm (on 4-24) / 2pm (on 4-26)
This is a series of two poetry composition courses for writers of all ages. You can come to one workshop or both. We will do a lot of in-class writing. Coming on both days will give you the chance to revise your work from the first day and bring it in for another round of feedback and edits. Email Kelly Bennan Young at KYoung@sccl.org for more info.

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About

Arlene Biala is a Filipina poet and performance artist, born in San Francisco, CA. She is the author of bone, her first chapbook of poetry published in 1993, continental drift, and her beckoning hands, published by Word Poetry - WordTech Editions in July, 2014. She received her MFA in Poetics & Writing from New College of CA, and was the recipient of an artist residency at Montalvo. her beckoning hands recently won a 2015 American Book Award. Performances and workshops include University of Texas at El Paso, Writers’ Week at UC Riverside, DiVERSEcity in NYC, San Francisco Asian American Jazz Festival, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, Manilatown Center at the I-Hotel, La Pena Cultural Center, APAture at Intersection for the Arts, Santa Clara University, and SOMArts Center in San Francisco. She has also performed for and taught creative writing workshops with elementary and high school youth. She lives in Sunnyvale, CA with husband Carl, (blue) Queensland Heeler Pepper, and their three children: Kai, (aries)15; Josh (scorpio)12; and Kiana (scorpio, again) 10.